Elastically deformable synthetic absorber for bumpers

• US 4,822,011 A
• Filed: 10/26/1987
• Issued: 04/18/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bayer AG
• Original Assignee: Bayer AG
• Inventors: Kammerer, Roderich, Goldbach, Hubert
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Douglas C.
• Application Number:
  US07/112,281
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 267/139, 267/140, 267/116, 267/153, 267/201, 267/140.1-141.7, 267/292-294, 188/371-377, 293/102, 293/107-110, 293/120-122, 293/154-155, 293/132, 293/133, 293/134, 293/135, 293/136, 293/103-106, 248/636, 248/562, 74/492, 280/777, 404/6, 404/9, 404/10, 256/13.1, 213/40, 213/22, 213/23, 213/25, 213/41-44
• US Class Current: 267/201
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/26 comprising yieldable mounting means B60R19/38 takes precedence; springs, shock absorbers, or means for damping vibrations per se F16F
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/30 Elastomeric material B60R19/34 takes precedence

Abstract

A shock absorber, arranged between bumper and body, possesses elastically deformable elements (2) which support themselves against sliding surfaces (8), whose contact pressure is adjustable across additionally arranged elastic bodies (10).

Claims

1. A shock absorber for bumpers providing damage-free absorption of shock energy during vehicle crashes for placement between a vehicle bumper and a vehicle body, the shock absorber consisting of at least one elastically deformable element and a support body, the elastically deformable element and the support body each having mutually engaging flat sliding surfaces which form an angle with respect to the direction of movement of the element, upon impact elastic body means between portions of the elastically deformable element and the support body adapted to influence the deformation and movement of the elastically deformable element during impact.

2. A shock absorber as in claim 1 wherein the support body envelops the elastically deformable element.

3. A shock absorber as in claim 1 wherein the elastically deformable element includes a central frame and alternately inclined deformable ribs on both sides of the central frame, the deformable ribs having end portions that engage the support body, the rib end portions and the support body forming the mutually engaging sliding surfaces.

4. A shock absorber according to claim 1 wherein the elastically deformable element has deformable ribs and the support body has deformable ribs positioned opposite in mutually engaging relationship with each other.

5. A shock absorber according to claim 1 wherein the elastic body means comprises synthetic foam.

6. A shock absorber according to claim 1 including additional elastic body means comprising elastically deformable strips arranged between the elastically deformable element and the support body.

7. A shock absorber according to claim 1 including additional elastic body means of differing elasticity.

8. A shock absorber according to claim 1 wherein the elastically deformable element includes limbs facing each other and outwardly inclined relative to each other, the limbs being supportingly arranged on correspondingly inclined surfaces of the support body.

9. A shock absorber according to claim 8 including beam ties arranged as tension members in the direction of movement next to the corresponding inclined surfaces.

10. A shock absorber according to claim 8 wherein the elastic body means includes elastic foam arranged between the element and the support body.